We are single and must date
by AleciaB
Summary: Scenario short story. Beckett forces Castle to go on a date that he doesn't want to do. Loosely based on promo. Written as a first draft and open for comment and scrutiny. Thought it would be fun to post a raw, first draft up for readers to review and add to.
1. Chapter 1

**_One off …. Can't get the story out of my head so here it is and not sure where its gonna go but very loosely based on the promo ….. just a small scenario …_**

"As far as everyone is concerned, we are still single Rick." Kate insisted with a stubborn expression over her face. She was wearing a white satin night dress her long legs exposed. "And we have to keep us a secret at work."

"I was single Kate for a whole year waiting for you. I wasn't dating anyone before we started sleeping together, so I don't need to date…" He responded annoyed that she was bringing this up again, "… to hide us." He unbuttoned two of buttons of his shirt.

"What about Jacinta?" She asked crossing her arms.

"The guys know I did that to raise a response out of you. C'mon. I was pissed off at you." He looked about the bedroom at all Kate's girlish things hanging over chairs and mirrors. "And if you bring her name up once more I will start name dropping…" He threatened.

Kate sighed, stepping closer to him and touching the collar of his shirt. She bit her lip, her expression softening. "I'm sorry." She murmured. "But I need you to go out on a date." She whispered. "With another woman." She stated louder.

"Kate." He moaned in objection. "That's not fair." He said taking hold of her upper arms and maintaining distance between them. "You will be jealous and I don't want to do it."

"No I won't be jealous." She objected.

"What about you? Lanie is already onto you that you are sleeping with someone because of that glow you cannot hide." He laughed, recalling the accusations flying out of Dr Parish's mouth that very morning at the morgue. Lanie was right on to Kate that she was getting laid, and getting laid properly. He studied her face now, and the content expression she'd had that morning was long gone. He would fix that later. Right now however, in her typical character, Kate was onto something and she wasn't going to back down.

"Well, I will get a date! I will go on a date as well." She confirmed wondering who the hell she would ask out.

"No." Castle responded. "I don't want you seeing another guy."

Kate laughed out loud. "You say I'm jealous." She squawked.

Castle dropped his hold of Kate's arms, completely frustrated as to where this conversation was headed. "I am jealous and I think it's using people going on fake dates. And also what is the point if no one sees us out on the date?"

Kate had already thought about that. "You will get your photo taken and it will be in a newspaper tomorrow." Kate stated.

Castle burst into laughter. "No! If I'm going to get my mug in a newspaper picture I want you to be the woman on my arm. I don't want to be seen with other women." He sighed. "Martha will give me so much grief and won't shut up about me asking you out."

"Rick." She pleaded. "Please go on a date and let people we know see you out."

"Only if you do the same thing." He said crossing his arms defiantly.

"What? No!" She objected. She leaned forward and pointed a finger at his chest. "You! It's you who has to do this. You're the one who has to be seen publicly with women. You are the celebrity in this relationship."

"And you're not? AKA Ms Nikki Heat." Castle scoffed. "C'mon Beckett. Last book launch everyone was looking for you. '_Where's your muse? Where is Nikki Heat? Where is Detective Kate Beckett?_' You were there, you saw them!" He shrieked out with a high voice he was so good at. "Nikki Heat! Nikki Heat!" Kate hit his shoulder. "Owwww!" Rick squealed and started to laugh.

Kate breathed deeply, frustrated by his deliberate refusal to run with her plan. She thought for a few moments, noticing that Richard was observing her behaviour. "What?" She asked.

"Stop thinking about it, I'm not going to lead on another woman. One of you is enough!"

"It's just dinner and a conversation." Kate implored. "C'mon you can do that."

"What if she wants to come back for a coffee?" He asked the arms crossed again. "Or she makes it obvious she wants to sleep with me and I can't refuse her?"

"Do you already have someone in mind?" Kate asked suspiciously stepping closer to him.

"As I fact, I do. I have two women I could ask out, one of which I would like to really go out for dinner with." He told her with a matter of fact tone.

Kate's mouth hung open, her wide eyes stared at his eyes, a moment or two as her mind processed his last comment. Castle spent the time, trying his hardest not to burst into giggles she looked so funny. "Who are they?" She asked, calmly but he heard the jealousy. Just what he wanted.

"No one you know." He replied secretively.

"Tell me Castle." She ordered.

Richard sighed. "One of them is you. In fact you are the only woman beside my mother and daughter I want to take out for dinner."

"Am I the one who would make it obvious I want to sleep with you?" She inquired.

"Yep, that's you." He brought her to him holding her around her waist peering down at her breasts bare beneath the silk. "We could be making love right now rather than discussing this." He whispered his thumb feeling over her left nipple.

"I still want you to go out on a date. There must be someone." She insisted softly her arms around his neck. "Please."

"I will set up a date on the condition that you go on a date, with a guy I know." He told Kate, his blue eyes very serious. Rick knew this issue wasn't going to pass over until Kate experienced the real feelings of being jealous as a consequence of him being around another woman. He decided there and then he was going to nip this in the bud. He didn't want to do it and wasn't going to let her go on a fake date with anyone who might potentially be interested in Kate. He had the perfect answer.

"Ok. It's a deal, so long as you go on a date where you are guaranteed people will see you."

"Deal. I will phone our dates first thing in the morning. Try and get for tomorrow night."

"Deal." Kate smiled. "This is gonna lead all the detectives astray."

"Come here Katie." He urged and brought her to his mouth with the intention of putting that expression of contentment back on her face.

_The following day …_

The dates were set up solely by Castle. He let Kate go to work the next day alone and decided to go home from Kate's apartment to organise the dates. By the time he met Kate at the Precinct to take her for lunch, he had her date, the venue, the dress, and unbeknown to her the cameraman all sorted out. If he was going to be in the newspaper, so was Beckett. He refused to tell her anything other than the fact she had to be ready at 7.30 pm that evening. Once it was all set, he'd seen Kate go quiet. He had refused to answer any questions she had about his date only telling her he had a date for the evening.

Now, in the late evening, Rick sat opposite an ex-girlfriend named Nadia, whom he had remained friends with for a long time. She was a great friend and had agreed to help him with his dilemma. So, for helping him out, he took her to the best restaurant he could book into on such short notice. She was an actress he had met years ago via his mother. Richard had outlined to her in detail exactly what he was planning on doing for the evening.

Richard had a terrific evening with Nadia over a three course meal. He switched his iPhone to silent and felt it regularly vibrating in his pocket. When Nadia visited the powder room he inspected the text messages that he figured were from Kate.

They read as, '_Good looking. Thanks Rick.' 'You could have told me he is gay. Safe choice Honey.' 'He's really sweet.' 'How is your date?' 'Are you there?' 'How is your date?' 'Ricky, please reply.' 'We're leaving the restaurant_.'

Castle laughed hard. His plan was working perfectly. He wrote her back. '_Having a fantastic date as a single guy. Ledger has already taken our photo_.' Hit send. He pocketed his phone and called the waiter over to pay their account. Nadia returned to the table. He stood and ensured she was seated.

"Kate is starting to lose it." He said totally amused.

"You sure you want to go through with this?" Nadia inquired. "I will do it but if she's jealous."

"She's jealous." He replied. "But I don't want to be faking dates."

"Ok."

"Coming back for that coffee?" He inquired. "Mason promised me he would have Kate out for hours. He likes night clubs so I'm sure they will end up in one."

"So you have set her up?" Nadia smiled.

"I gave Mason enough cash to show Kate a good time."

"Ok. Let's go. I'm dying for your coffee Rick."

The two stood and walked out of the restaurant to a taxi. In the taxi he read more of Kate's text message. She was having a good time but wanted to come home. He told her to stay out for awhile longer.

He text Mason telling him to keep Kate out a while longer.

At almost 1.00 am, Kate swiped her security card on the elevator to Rick's apartment. She leaned against the wall, rather intoxicated. Her shoes hung from the fingers of her right hand and she wore a black faux fur coat tightly about her body feeling chilly in the October evening. For the past two or so hours Rick had not answered any text messages. She was fuming over that and the fact she was almost driving herself crazy wondering what he was up to. The elevator bell tinged and the doors opened to the penthouse. She silently walked along the hall way to the doorway to Ricks loft and using her key, unlocked the door. She stepped inside expecting to find the night light on and Richard in bed. But no. He was sitting on the couch with a brunette woman. Rick remained seated but turned to the doorway.

"Castle?" Kate's jaw dropped, her eyes moving between him and the brunette, the gorgeous brunette.

"Hey Kate. You're back." He stood up, after the brunette had moved away from his body, acting perfectly normal. He had to pull this off. But the expression Kate had on her face was torturing him.

"Richard?" She murmured, and dropped her shoes on the floor. The idea of him dating someone had seemed easy but seeing him in the privacy of his own home with another woman alone was a different story. She saw on the coffee table, two empty wine bottles, two wine glasses and two coffee cups. Coffee? "Coffee is ours." She murmured.

Castle barely heard Kate but he caught it. "Kate?" He went to her and took both her hands in his. He kissed her cheek, ignoring the fact she was jealous. He lifted the coat off her and laid it out on the chair by the door way. He looked at the black dress he had bought her.

"You look lovely Honey." He stated and taking her hand he lead her to Nadia. "Nadia, my girlfriend Kate. Kate, Nadia is a friend of Martha's."

Kate composed herself. "Hi Nadia. Nice to meet you."

"Same here Kate. I've heard so much about you tonight."

"I'm sure." Kate glanced to Richard. "You are gorgeous." She remarked to Nadia.

"Thank you. You are as lovely as Richard described you." Nadia smiled, then turned to Richard. "I will leave now Richard. Say hello to your mother."

"Nice to meet you." Kate said. She sat on a chair and watched as Richard took Nadia to the door. He assisted her to put on her coat and escorted her to the elevator.

By the time Richard returned to the loft, he found Kate on a chair hunched over. He went straight to her and took her by the hands.

"Let's go to bed Kate." He told her.

"She was so beautiful." Kate said to his eyes.

"So are you." He replied.

"Nothing happened?"

"Nothing at all. She's a friend." He smiled.

Kate sniffed, analysing the emotions she was feeling at the moment. She gazed at Richard's face for a long time, seeing his smile but she didn't feel like smiling. She felt confused, and there was feeling within her she could transcribe into words.

"Mason is gay." She stated.

"Did you really think I was going to let you go out on a date with a straight guy. Are you out of your mind?" He inquired.

"My God." Kate swallowed. "I can't feel this again." She whispered. "I can't see you with another woman. You're mine."

"That's right. It's hurting you right?" He inquired and saw her nod.

"Think how bad you would have felt if you had walked in on me kissing her or worse still sleeping with her."

"I can't. I'm sorry I made you do that." She leaned to him for a hug suddenly realising she had forced him to do something to her he swore he would never do.

"I forgive you. We can keep us a secret, but its nobody else's business whether we are dating."

"I'm sorry."

"Dating is over for us." Richard stated. "I would rather stay hidden in this loft with you than be out at some fancy restaurant." He stroked her head. "Let's go to bed Kate."

Kate smiled. "Hide in our bed." She smiled.

_It was written inside two hours. One draft only, decided to just have a crack of writing and having you guys read a first draft…. And commenting on that._

_Its late here like 11.30 pm so I started it about 9.30 pm. I hope it was an interesting read for you as a comparison to writing that I have really spent time on. Above is what I would consider the foundation of a much longer story if there was scope for that… I also usually hand write first draft as well, so sitting here typing it in front of the TV was a new experience for me… let me know … personally, I think it starts off ok but I ran out of ideas. Once my brain was fresh, I would go back and rewrite heaps of it. _


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

_Ok, so today I've decided to be really mean to Kate and let Rick really hit the ball home hard…. Last night I couldn't do it to her and it was getting late. I have not seen S05E02 as the time I'm writing this. I'm on my way home to watch it tonight. So I will virtually pick up where I was and go from where I want the changes to be. I can't do track changes in this format which is unfortunate. _

_I'm not sure where the story will go and how mean I can be to Kate. So lets see where it goes…._

At almost 1.00 am Kate fished through her purse to find the security card to Rick's building. She had just bid Mason farewell from the taxi, the driver of which was patiently waiting for her to safely get inside the building. Once the door was secured behind her she waved Mason good bye and the taxi was driven forward.

She and Mason had left the night club fairly wasted. Mason had been an excellent date, a great companion and she was sure she had found herself a new dance date. She waited almost a minute for an elevator checking her phone for any messages from Rick. For the past two or so hours Rick had not answered any texts she had sent him and in the end she had given up sending him anymore. Whilst they had been at the night club she had bumped into Esposito who had been with some girl who wasn't Lanie. Kate figured Javier and Lanie must be back to bootie call sessions only.

The elevator arrived and the doors opened. By the time she clumsily swiped the security card on the elevator to Rick's apartment the doors had swallowed her and the elevator started its journey up. She leaned against the wall, feeling rather intoxicated, her inhibitions lessoned by the effects of the alcohol. She had thoughts of Castle in bed sleeping, and she crawling over the bed up his body to his mouth to arouse him from slumber. She could easily imagine herself seductively waking him from sleep. She smiled with closed lips, deep in thought contemplating seriously whether she would wake him to make love to him. That's if he was in bed. He could, in fact, be anywhere.

Her shoes dangled from the fingers of her right hand, swinging slightly back and forth. She wore a black faux fur coat she pulled tightly about her body still feeling a little chilly from the October evening.

Her mind went back to the fact Rick hadn't answered her texts in ages. She was suddenly free aggravated over that. In addition, she was almost driving herself crazy wondering what he was up to, where he really was.

The elevator bell tinged and the doors opened to the penthouse, distracting her thoughts. She silently walked along the hall way to the doorway to Rick's loft and using her key, unlocked the door. She stepped inside expecting to find the night light on and Richard in bed. But no. He was sitting on the couch with a brunette woman who was straddled upon his lap facing him. Rick innocently turned to the doorway and smiled at Kate.

"Castle?" Kate's jaw dropped, her eyes widely glaring at him and the brunette, the gorgeous brunette straddled across his lap. She was dressed, fully dressed Kate observed and she wore red lipstick. So did Rick.

Rick held his breath. He'd had Mason text him when he was dropping Kate off at the loft so he and Nadia would be ready when Kate arrived. He knew by Kate's expression he was in the shit!

"Hey Kate. You're back. Did you have a good time Honey?" He greeted with a pleasant smile and casually assisted the woman off his lap. He stood, deliberately wiping his mouth. Acting perfectly normal, he knew he had to pull this off to get the most affect. The expression Kate had on her face was torturing him. She was somewhere between pissed off and devastated.

"Richard?" She murmured, her fingers unconsciously dropping her shoes on the floor. The idea of him dating someone had seemed easy but seeing him in the privacy of his own home with another woman alone was a different story. She let him help her out of her coat which he laid over the chair by the door. He checked out Kate in the black dress he had bought for her that day.

"Lovely dress, Kate." He commented, taking her elbow gently with his fingers to escort her to Nadia. "Kate, this is my date Nadia and Nadia, my girlfriend Kate." Richard introduced them feeling very awkward, but this is what Kate wanted. "Kate, Nadia has been a great sport tonight. I'm sure I won't have any problems at the precinct tomorrow."

Kate stepped forward and numbly shook Nadia's hand noting her lipstick was not smeared at all. She glanced to Rick noticing he didn't have any suspicious stains over his mouth but there was a single lip stick stain on his right cheek. She turned back to the brunette who was probably an inch taller than Kate if they were both barefooted. "Hi Nadia. You are gorgeous." She commented, taking in her long straight brown hair, large blue eyes and tanned complexion. Tall, shapely and stunning.

"Hi. You are lovely too. Rick told me so much about you." Nadia smiled. "In fact I feel like I really know you."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure Rick will have plenty to tell me about you." She stated looking between the two of them, noticing Castle was behaving as though he was a little uncomfortable. "Why won't we have problems tomorrow?" She inquired at Rick.

"Nadia and I even managed to bump into Gates when she was leaving the precinct. She certainly works back late… she was quite.." He stopped seeing Kate was not listening to him at all. He glanced to Nadia shrugging his shoulders.

"I bumped into Espo." Kate replied almost vacantly. She saw on the coffee table, two empty wine bottles, two wine glasses and two coffee cups. Coffee? "Coffee is ours." She murmured.

"We decided to come back here after the restaurant."

Kate's mouth formed an O as she stared at Rick, trying to make sense of what she was internally feeling about all this. Her emotions were in total turmoil currently and she knew Castle could see that.

"I had better go." Nadia said to Rick, sensing the awkwardness in the room. She took Kate's hand and said firmly to Kate. "Rick was a perfect gentleman, Kate. Please be rest assured."

Kate smiled trying to brush it off. "I'm sure he was. Very nice to meet you. Do you know Mason, out of curiosity?"

"Sure! We've all been friends for years. Lovely guy."

Kate nodded in agreement.

Castle walked Nadia to the door and assisted her into her coat. They politely said goodbye and Nadia left. Richard locked the door behind him and put his back against it, it hands behind his butt, his eyes staying on Kate for several moments. She was staring at him, arms crossed over her chest, her expression extremely hard to read. He nervously swallowed.

"How was your date?" He carefully asked.

"He was gay Rick!"

"So? He was safe. I knew you would be safe with him because he's masculine enough to keep other men away and to protect you."

"I'm a cop, I can protect myself."

"In a beautiful dress like that and heels like these?" He pointed to the floor and picked up the heels he struggled to see how she managed to walk in. But she did. He put them gently down by the end of the couch so no one would trip over them. "I wasn't letting you out into the city at night alone. And I don't trust any of my straight friends to take you out and not try to hit on you."

"You're avoiding the problem here." She angrily stated.

"What's the problem? We both went on dates, pretended we're single and now we are here, in private and we should be doing things I cannot repeat to anyone else but you." He stated, walking towards her making a decision to close the gap between them.

"She was straddled across your lap with her chest in your face Rick!"

"Well, that's not technically correct." He replied.

"I walked in the door hoping you would be in bed."

"In bed? With Nadia!" He squawked in disbelief.

"No!" She yelled. "My God! In bed alone." She stressed and sniffed, feeling extremely emotional about the scenario she had walked in on. "Did she kiss you?"

"On the cheek. Once when we met and just before when I promised her I will take you with me to see her show. She's an actress." He calmly told her. "Did Mason kiss you?" He asked, and he thought justifiably so. He knew Mason was gay but he had been known to swap teams occasionally.

Kate smirked, hearing the subtext in his question and seeing his worried face. She wiped her left cheek of the tear that rolled from her eye. "Yes, on several occasions and he was very touchy feely all the time."

"Uh huh! Should Rick be jealous?" He inquired taking another step towards Kate, hating her looking so upset.

"Well…. Probably, but not as jealous as Kate is feeling." She replied and looked to his eyes. "I can't do this Rick. I can't see you with other women. It hurts." She offered him. "Why was she on your lap?" She was so confused by that image.

"Because I told her to do it. Mason sent me a text to tell me you were on your way up. I wanted you to receive an impact from this Kate. I know what it's like to be cheated on and I don't want to feel that again. I don't want you to have to experience it in reality."

"I am experiencing it." She replied trying her hardest not to cry. She looked around the loft blinking away the tears developing in her eyes. "God Castle, it hurts that I fear you were kissing her."

"I didn't kiss her. I didn't touch her. It's you I want. I want to touch your face, play with your hair, kiss your beautiful lips, hold your hand, throw snow balls at you, push you in the pool, and mess with your head. I want to grow old with you. I waited four years for you. Four years Kate! Do you think I would give up what we have for another woman?" He took a breath and stared at her face.

"Throw snow balls at me? Push me in the pool?"

"Is that what you're taking from what I just said?"

Kate smirked, wiping her eyes. She was looking everywhere but to him then finally locked eyes on him. "I took it all in. I'm sorry. Let's not do this again. I can't cope with you seeing other women unless you can find a really gay woman who has no chance of being interested in you."

"Let's just not do it." He smiled and reached out to her chin with a finger, tilting her face so she had to look at him again. "No more dates." He urged.

"No more. Did you have a good time?" She asked.

He pulled her into his arms. "I had a lovely evening catching up with an old friend. She's happily married babe and has two kids. Her husband is one of my best friends." He calmly told her.

"Castle. You could have told me that!"

"What? And ruin all the fun I just had proving my point it's not fun seeing other people?"

"You could have told me earlier." She reiterated and whacked his backside as she leaned into him for a big embrace.

_Sorry, can't hurt her too much…. That's it. Once again a one off draft._

_Anyone who wants to add in or continue please feel very welcome to amend it as I have that open for anyone to do… could be fun to see where someone else would go with it…._


End file.
